SEO Marketing

All businesses need to promote their business and write an online “ad” at some point. Knowing how to create a compelling ad is an essential skill you need to have for  your web marketing efforts.  Here are some tips for writing ads that not only make people think, but also respond.

The main thing you need to narrow down when you are writing a promotinal ad is the “principle selling position” (PSP), also know as unique selling position (USP). This is the best benefit your product or service offers. “In order to determine a PSP, ask yourself how your product or service is different than your competitors. Are you faster? More reliable? Do you provide better customer service? Make sure to paint a picture that shows your potential clients and customers exactly how your product or service will improve their life or solve their problems.” For example, McDonald’s new commercials all highlight how their food is all natural and made from fresh ingredients. That is their latest PSP. How about a Cingular ad that states, “Hate dropped calls? Switch to the network with the fewest dropped calls.” Can you guess what their PSP is?

Another important feature to remember about writing advertisements is to write directly to your target audience. Is your demographic women, men, kids, college students, moms, etc? You need to understand what issues are important to your target demographic and address those issues specifically to them. For example, Victoria’s Secret new Pink line is targeted directly at teen girls. To this end, they put together a whole website, Facebook page, Twitter page, etc. simply promoting their new products to this age group.

Using video or audio as part of your online ads is another proven strategy to make your ads more compelling. Studies have shown that people are more likely to believe what they read or hear if it is accompanied by visuals. Engaging more of people’s senses also helps them not get distracted by other things around them when you want them to be focused on your advertisement. The first part of an advertisement is the most important. Just like professors used to tell me in English class, “the first sentence should grab you and make you want to read more.” Advertisements are the same way. Introduce your PSP in the first couple of sentences to create the most powerful ad possible. Your strongest selling points should be at the beginning of your advertisement rather than the end. Draw the reader in and by the end, you’ll have made a sale.